TBILISI -- A court in Georgia has sent to pretrial detention five people from the South Caucasus nation's northeastern Pankisi Gorge region who are being held on terrorism charges.
At a hearing behind closed doors on August 26, the Tbilisi City Court ruled that Magomed Machalikashvili, Yusuf Tsatiashvili, Gamza Bagakashvili, Ramaz Kavtarashvili, and Ramaz Margoshvili must remain in pretrial detention for at least two months.
The five men, all ethnic Chechens, were detained two days earlier and charged with being involved in the activities of the Islamic State terrorist organization.
All of the men have rejected the charges.
Before the hearing, Georgia's State Security Service published videos showing the suspects taking an oath to an unidentified "Amir of Georgia" and Islamic State. Audio also was published, which the State Security Service claims reveals the suspects discussing plans to conduct a terrorist act in the country.
Georgia's Pankisi Gorge region borders Russia's volatile region of Chechnya and is home to Muslims with ethnic ties to Chechens.
Tbilisi Court Sends Five Men Charged With Terrorism To Pretrial Detention
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
After Her Photo Went Viral, Maria Zaytsava Was Killed Fighting For Ukraine
2What's Stopping NATO Countries From Boosting Defense Spending?
3Moscow's War On Ukraine: Where's The Russian Outrage?
42 Iranian Supreme Court Judges Killed In Tehran
5Trump Says Putin ‘Destroying’ Russia By Failing To Seek Ukraine Peace Deal
6Trump Warns Putin For Third Time To End 'Ridiculous' Ukraine War
7Why Are European Troops For Ukraine A Nonstarter?
8Could Trump Cut A Deal With Putin And Leave Ukraine In The Cold?
9Amid Russian Assault, Ukrainian Children Evacuated From Pokrovsk
10Ukraine Live Briefing: Trump Threatens Russia Sanctions
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
